Happy New Year, everyone! Here are the topics I talked about on the January segment.
— Life-size Candyland game, SLC Main Library
Thursday, January 5, 2pm
— The Wizard of Oz, Utah Children’s Theater
January 6-14
— Sundance Kids films at Sundance Film Festival
– Red Dog: True Blue, age 8+
– The Mars Generation, age 10+
– My Life as a Zucchini, age 12+
Here are the topics that I mentioned on today’s segment:
Last summer, I wrote a post about Fun Playgrounds around the state of Utah. They were spread all over the state and I didn’t know if we would ever have the chance to visit any of them in person. We spent last weekend in Moab, Utah and while I was planning our itinerary of activities, I remembered the post and the playground in Moab! I actually had to search through my archives and find the reference so I could be reminded of what exactly the playground was. And we made it!
The Freenotes Harmony Park in Moab is a part of their Rotary Park and is tucked away from the main town of Moab. It is quiet and relatively lush (green grass and trees) which is a contrast from the red rock and sand you see everywhere else. As soon as Theo saw the large musical instrument structures, he exclaimed, “This is awesome!”
The philosophy behind the Freenotes Harmony parks (there are several around the country) is that recycling materials into aesthetically pleasing (both visually and aurally) structures in a natural setting can produce educational opportunities for kids. There were a lot of different types of “instruments” to play — from banging on drums to using the provided mallets to hit chimes and pipes. It was beautiful to hear all of the kids playing, even as we were walking away from the park back to our car.
I’m so glad we got the chance to try out something that I had once recommended on this website but hadn’t actually tried — and to discover that we indeed loved it! We had a great time in Moab (perhaps a post for another day) but it was a special treat to stop by this park.
The summer is almost over and kids are headed back to school, but there are still some fun activities to do on the weekends! Happy Back-t0-School!
Watch the video here.
Here are the topics that I mentioned on the air today. You can watch the video here.
You can watch the video here!
One of my main goals as a parent is to raise Theo to be an ally for LGBTQ+ issues. Theo’s uncle (my brother) is gay and married, and having two uncles is normal for Theo. He also has classmates and friends at school with two moms and two dads, so it’s just a part of regular life for him. One way to show our support to this community is to attend the annual Utah Pride Festival which is now in its 41st year!
The image above (from the Pride Festival’s Facebook page) includes a lot of the information that is relevant to families and kids, but one event I want to highlight is a Children’s Book Reading to be held on Saturday, June 4th from 3-5pm. Storytellers from The King’s English Bookshop will be reading picture book favorites at the Library Outdoor Amphitheater at Library Square during this time.
Bring your family and have some fun this weekend! Remember that kids 10 and under are free with an adult, and adults can buy their tickets to the Festival here.
Courtesy of The Salt Lake Tribune
As I type this, I’m looking out my windows into a haze of nondescript gray haze. It looks much like the photo above of the Utah State Capitol, which is at the same elevation as where I live.
I downloaded the Utah Air app for my phone and watch with increasing dismay at the hazardous levels of air quality in our city. Theo’s school is keeping kids inside for recess during the day. I have a scratch in my throat and congestion that I fear is due to the conditions outside rather than a virus. It’s sad to say that it’s come to this, but I’ve started to do a little research about face masks, especially for kids.
Here are a few choices I’ve discovered:
I think there’s definitely a trade-off between what a kid (or adult, for that matter) will actually wear vs. the effectiveness of the mask.
Of course, getting a mask at all is just putting a short-term Band-aid on the overall problem of our poor air quality. During days like these when the air is literally in our face and we can’t ignore it, consider learning more about groups like Utah Moms for Clean Air who are working towards a healthier environment for all of us.
Theo was only 2 years old when he first started preschool, and Miss Bethany was one of his beloved teachers. She was the best teacher I could ever hope for — oftentimes holding Theo for the entire class if he was having a rough time with the separation. We were honored to attend her wedding before she moved to the East coast with her husband. After a few years, they are now back in Utah and we had some special visitors last week: Miss Bethany AND her new baby boy!
One thing that my new mommy friends and I would have loved to have is a place to go to hang out with our babies, other than each other’s houses. I remember visiting my parents in Virginia when Theo was 1 year old and going to a combination coffee shop/indoor playground and thinking it was such a brilliant idea that I couldn’t believe it hadn’t been introduced to Utah yet. I just learned about a brand new cafe that opened very recently that is just that! I haven’t been there yet (I’m going to “borrow” my friend’s 2-year-old toddler to check it out) but I am so glad that this concept is becoming more widespread.
Along the same lines, my friends told me about the Main Street Studio salon which offers on-site childcare while you get pampered. Is this a genius idea or what? I never got a chance to try it out myself, but seriously, even the idea that a sort of place like this existed gave me some peace of mind that I could take advantage of this if I needed/wanted. This would be a great treat for any new mom who wanted to keep her child close but still needed to feel human now and then.
I love any activity that is typically a “grown-ups only” type event where you can bring your kids. So many times we are made to feel like we cannot go out in public spaces that are “inappropriate” for kids because of their unpredictable behavior and completely natural actions. So when an art museum welcomes babies and moms to tour the exhibits without any judgment or unrealistic expectation, I find it to be a refreshing relief.
I have all sorts of other “tips and tricks” that I like to share with new mothers (the best places to nurse, using a shopping cart as a temporary stroller, etc.) but these are some fun activities that are available for you and your baby to share together. Enjoy and have fun with those snuggly little babies!
Adventures with Theo 